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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mets have lost back-to-back games for the first time since their five-game losing streak in the final week of the season, a run during which they had already clinched the National League East and that included getting no-hit by Max Scherzer.

They go home for Game 3 of the World Series needing a victory to avoid a deficit that no team has ever overcome in the Fall Classic, with the knowledge that no team since the 1996 Yankees has come back to win the World Series after dropping the first two games.

The straits are obviously dire for New York. What has gone wrong, and what do the Mets need to do to get back into the World Series?

1Cash in

The Mets were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position in their 14-inning loss in Game 1. Technically, their 1 for 4 showing in Game 2 was better, but the Lucas Duda cue shot to left field that provided New York’s only run against Johnny Cueto hardly represented a more opportunistic bunch. Where the Mets failed to take advantage of chances against Cueto was more down to individual at-bats, times that Cueto fell behind in the count but hitters essentially got themselves out.

“We were able to draw some walks, but when you have one or two opportunities to score runs, that’s tough to do,” said David Wright, who was 0-for-4 in Game 2. “What they’ve done an excellent job of, is it seems they put runners on base every inning.”

It only seems that way. The Royals had hits in only three of the eight innings Wednesday night. Three times, Kansas City went down in order. The other two innings, the Royals drew one-out walks and accomplished nothing else. Kansas City went 5 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and the four-run fifth inning was a clear example of pouncing when Jacob deGrom showed weakness. The Mets did not do the same when Cueto provided an opening, brief though it was. They cannot afford to let opportunities slip against Yordano Ventura in Game 3.

2Catch on

The Royals’ first run of the series came on an inside-the-park home run when Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes miscommunicated and let a catchable fly ball become a run. An error by David Wright led to the winning run in the 14th inning on Tuesday night.

In Game 2, the inning preceding Jacob deGrom’s total meltdown featured five outs: the three that were recorded, an error by Lucas Duda and an Eric Hosmer single that Juan Lagares by all means should have caught in center field. That was Kansas City’s first sniff of blood in the water, and the feeding frenzy against deGrom commenced the next inning. The three-run seventh inning was ugly defensively, as well, with both Wilmer Flores and Lagares looking bad on what turned into extra-base hits.

The fix here is simple: Don’t give the Royals extra outs. They will pounce.

3Cespedes for the rest of us

If Yoenis Cespedes’ shoulder is less than 100 percent, that’s OK – you can play through pain and still contribute and succeed. If his shoulder is so much less than 100 percent that it’s contributing to the fact he’s 1 for 10 in the series, he needs to come out of the lineup, with Michael Conforto playing left field and Juan Lagares playing center.

That would be a significant downgrade to the Mets’ lineup with a healthy Cespedes, but if Cespedes is really unhealthy, he needs to be honest about it. It’s also possible that he’s 1 for 10 because sometimes you go 1 for 10.

4Be bullish

Terry Collins’ explanation for sticking with Jacob deGrom through the Royals’ four-run fifth inning was, “This guy has been our ace, you have to stick with him.”

No, you don’t. This is the World Series, not time to try to gut it out with someone who has done well all year just because you hope he will get back on track. Collins did not have Bartolo Colon available after his extended relief outing in Game 1, and he wanted to limit Jon Niese, who wound up giving up three runs in his second inning of relief, but when the wheels were coming off for deGrom and it was plain for everyone to see, Collins had to be more aggressive with his bullpen management.

You could also second-guess Collins leaving in Matt Harvey when the lead got away in the sixth inning of Game 1, but Harvey had gotten two straight outs when Mike Moustakas singled in the tying run.

In both cases, the Royals were on their third trip through the lineup. Collins has to be very aware of Kansas City’s Borg-like adaptation to his starters’ arsenals in Game 3, especially given that opponents’ OPS against Noah Syndergaard jumped to .860 the third time through the order this year.

5Magic men

Sometimes you lose an extra-inning game. Sometimes you play a game against a really good team that starts close, you have a few balls hit where fielders aren’t, and all of a sudden you’re getting blown out against a pitcher who’s suddenly rediscovered his ace stuff.

So the Mets are down 2-0. The Mets were also down 2-0 the last time they won the World Series in 1986. They were also down 2-0 the last time they were in the World Series, in 2000, and went on to lose that one in five games.

These are both really good teams, who appear fairly evenly matched, even given the lopsided score of Game 2. Would anybody be surprised if the Mets win Game 3? Of course not. They just have to do it, and then all of a sudden the series has a different complexion.

Basically, if Bartolo Colon has a lucky pair of socks, he should wear them, and why hasn’t he been wearing them already? C’mon, Bartolo, you’re a veteran.